Lighthouse Bistro (dinner in Nanaimo, good food, nice location on the harbor)

Tidal Tacos (small roadside stand in Qualicum Bay)

What did we do…

walked along Coal Harbor enjoying the harbor and mountain views as well as people watching on a gloriously sunny day

there are some historic plaques along the Coal Harbor promenade that provide a great history of the city

sat by the pool at our hotel and enjoyed the sunshine

had drinks both nights in the H Tasting Lounge at our hotel (Westin Bayshore) where we got excellent service from a young Filipino gal named Chiara who compted our drinks after she heard about our terrible service at Lift Restaurant

enjoyed a visit with our daughter Leah’s friend Mitch at the Cactus Club where we watched my Stamps down the RedBlacks

watched the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in the Olympic Plaza area beside the Cactus Club

walked the shops on Water Street then cruised thru Yaletown, down to English Bay to see the A-maze-ing bronze sculptures, coffee at Delaney’s Coffee House and back to the Bayshore (16 km stroll to cover a good part of downtown Vancouver)

rode a cruiser bike from our hotel around Stanley Park (great views of the inner and outer harbor and a flat easy ride)

viewed the Butchart Gardens just north of Victoria which are a display of spectacular flowers and trees (my parents loved to visit here, and it was my first time)

visited with friends at their lake house near Youbou on Lake Cowichan (great to get caught up with like-minded people who share similar passions)

visited with Mare’s cousin Laurie and her husband Steve at their picturesque house perched on a hilltop in Duncan followed by dinner on the patio at a café in Genoa Bay (excellent food and great location)

one day we drove around Nanoose Bay residential area, walked around Neck Point, a boat tour on our friend’s rig around Newcastle Island and stopped for lunch at a spot on the Island on a dock

the next day we walked Rathtrevor Beach (Parksville) at low tide, checked out the sand sculpture competition and market in Parksville, drove up the coast thru all the small towns, walked around the Comox harbor, and finished off with the chainsaw carving competition in Campbell River

enjoyed the beautiful sunset view from the property our friends are renting on NW Bay and a beach fire

Interesting facts:

Vancouver is comprised of 15 different suburbs (population 2.5 M people) which all have their own unique qualities and is a beautiful city when the sun is shining

it is typically ranked as one of the top five most liveable cities in the world and is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities in Canada

Vancouver Island is only 460 km in length and 100 km wide which makes it relatively easy to explore

it has one of the warmest climates in Canada which allows them to grow a diverse range of crops

it is the 43rd largest island in the world, Canada’s 11th largest island, and 2nd most populous island

What did we not do that is on the agenda for next time:

many things to do in Vancouver that would take a few weeks to accomplish

take a Harbor Air seaplane out of Coal Harbor to tour some inland areas

spend time exploring in and around Victoria

visit Horne Lake Caves near Qualicum Bay

explore some of the Islands along the east coast of Vancouver Island

Final thoughts:

it’s great to have friends to visit in Vancouver and on the Island to get caught up on life and to share their local knowledge

we enjoy the shorter driving trips to see parts of Canada and the U.S. and learn more about the local areas